he must nedes communicate the same to them. Who vnlesse they with spedy circumspection do occurre and preuent perils that may and are like to ensue, it would turne in þe end to their no smale incommoditie. And as there were many other things, which required their vigilant care and diligēce: so one thyng there was, which he could in no wise but admonish them of: which was this, necessary to be considered of them all, how the Lord Marshall Henry Percy in hys place within himself had one in ward and in custody, whither with the knowledge, or without the knowledge of them, he could not tell: this he could tell, that the sayd lord Marshall was not alowed any such ward or prison in his house, with in the liberties of the city. Which thyng if it be not sene to in tyme the example therof being suffered, would in fine bread to such a preiudice vnto their customs and liberties, as they should not hereafter, when they would reforme the iniurie therof.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaThe Citizens of London breake vp the L. Percies house at Sauoy. These wordes of the Lord Fizwalter were not so sone spoken, but they were as soone taken of the rashe citizens, who in all hasty fury running to their armour and weapōs, went incontinently to the house of the Lorde Percy, where breakyng vp the gates, by violence they toke out the prisoner, and burned the stockes wherin he sate, in the midst of London. Then was the Lord Percy sought for (whome sayth the story) they would doubtlesse haue slayne if they might haue found him. With their bils and iauelins, all corners and priuy chambers were searched, beds and hangings torne a sunder.MarginaliaGods prouision in sauing hys seruauntes. But the Lord Percy (as God would) was then with the Duke, whom one Iohn Yper the same day with great instance had desired to dinner. The Londiners not findyng hym at home, and supposing that he was wyth the Duke at Sauoy, in all hasty heate turned their power thither, runnyng as fast as they could to the Dukes house. Where also in lyke manner they were disappointed of theyr cruell purpose.MarginaliaThe house of the Duke of Lancaster searched of the Londiners. In the meane while as this was doyng, cōmeth one of the dukes men runnyng post hast, to the duke & to the Lord Percy, declaryng what was done. The Duke beyng then at his oysters, without any farther tarying,MarginaliaThe Duke and L. Percy flye to the Prince. and also breakyng both hys shinnes at the forme for haste, tooke boate with the Lorde Percy, and by water went to Kingston, where thē the princesse with Richard the young Prince did lye. Who there declared vnto the princesse all the whole matter, concerning the outrage of the Londiners as it was. To whom she promised agayne, such an order to be taken in the matter, as should be to his contentation. At what tyme the commons of London, thus, as is sayd, were about the dukes house at Sauoy, meeteth with them a certaine priest, who maruelyng at the sodain rage & concourse, asked what they sought. To whome aunswer was geuen agayne of some, that they sought for the Duke and Lorde Marshall, to haue of them the Lord Peter de la Mare, whō they wrongfully had deteined in prison. To this the Priest aunswered agayne more boldly then oportunely. That Peter, sayd he, is a false traytour to the Kyng, and woorthy long since to be hanged.MarginaliaA priest in the Duke of Lancasters house cruelly killed. At the hearing of these wordes, the furious people with a terrible shoute cryed out vpon hym, that he was a traytour and one that toke the Dukes part and so fallyng vppon hym with their weapons striued who might first strike at hym. Who after they had wounded hym very sore, so beyng wounded they had hym into prison, where within few dayes vpon the sorenes of his woundes he dyed.
[Back to Top]Neither would the rage of the people thus haue ceased had not the bishop of London leauing his diner come to thē at Sauoy, and putting them in remembrance of the blessed tyme (as they terme it) of Lent, had perswaded thē to cease and to be quiet.MarginaliaThe villany of the Londiners agaynst the Duke. The Londiners seyng that they could get no vauntage agaynst the Duke: who was without their reach: To bewreke their anger they toke his armes, which in most despitefull wise, they hanged vp in the open places of the citie, in signe of reproch, as for a traitour. In so much that when one of his gentlemen came through the citiy with a plate cōteining the dukes armes, hanging by a lace about his neck: the citizens not abiding the sight therof, cast him from hys horse, and pluckt his scutchine from hym, & were about to worke þe extremitie against him, had not the Mayor rescued him out of their handes, and sent him home safe vnto þe duke his maister. In such hatred was then the Duke among the vulgar people of London.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaThe message of the princesse to the Londiners. After this, the princesse vnderstanding the hartes and broyle of the Londiners set agaynst the foresayd duke, sent vnto London 3. Knightes, sir Albred Lewer,
This is Foxe's very garbled version of the name Sir Aubrey de Vere.
MarginaliaA story of the Byshop of Norwich. As these aforesayd,
Foxe drew this account of an altercation between Henry Despenser, the bishop of Norwich and the town of Bishop's Lynn (now King's Lynn) from BL, Harley 3634, a version of Thomas Walsingham's Chronica majora which covered the years 1376-82. (Foxe obtained this manuscript from Matthew Parker). Although Walsingham had little use for Despenser, whom Walsingham depicted as immature, ignorant, arrogant and headstrong, Foxe liberally strewed adjectives and editorial judgements through this account, denigrating Despenser further than Walsingham had done. Foxe's purpose in relating this episode was, as he declared, to portray the temporal pride and claims to secular jurisdiction of the medieval clergy.
[Back to Top]Thomas S. Freeman
University of Sheffield
I.e. Lynn.
Foxe's syntax is unclear here, but what he is saying is that Despenser took offence that the mayor of Bishop's Lynn was acting as if he was the lord of the city, when, in fact, Despenser, as bishop of Norwich, was just that.
This is Foxe's characterization, and it is not from Walsingham.
I.e. cowards.
The citizens perceiuing the wilfull stoutnes of the Bishop, meekly answering again, sayd, they minded not to resist him, but to let him do therin what he thought good, only desired him that he would licence them to departe, and holde them excused for not wayting vpon him, and conductyng hym out of the towne wyth that reuerence which hee requyred. For if they should be seene in his companye, all the suspicion thereof would be vpon them, and so should they be all in daunger, so much as their liues were worth. The bishop not regarding theyr aduise and counsaile, commaūded one of his men to take þe rod borne before þe Maior,
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